1- What is Virtual Private Network or VPN?
A virtual private network or VPN forms an encrypted (secure) connection between users’ device and VPN server. This secure tunnel hides your online activities, not only from user’s ISP but also from all cyber predators.
2- How does VPN work?
VPN replaces your ‘Original’ IP address with the dynamic shared IP address of VPN provider AND your ‘Actual’ location from the location where VPN server is deployed. VPN also encrypt your traffic making it almost impossible to be tracked, monitored or hacked by cyber criminals.
3- What are the advantages of VPN?
Numerous valuable advantages are associated with VPN services.
- It provide protection from cybercrimes and data leak while users’ are connected to Public Wi-Fi or Hotspots.
- It provide high-level data encryption to protect users’ from government surveillance.
- Provide accessibility to geo-restricted content streaming services.
- Provide accessibility to P2P and file-sharing networks and protect while downloading or sharing files.
- Evades regional and global censorship whether it is imposed by government, offices, ISP or schools.
- Grants you access to blocked websites, regional domains, gaming zones, etc.
4- What is Data Encryption?
Encryption is transformation of electronic data into a secret coded form, known as Ciphertext. It is regarded as the most effective method to protect data as encrypted data cannot be decrypted without proper authorization. Key components of encryption are as follow:
- Authentication: to verify the origin of generated message.
- Integrity: to validate that original message is received without any alteration.
- Non-Refutation: to ensure that sender cannot deny sending of the message.
5- What are the types of Encryption?
There are two major types of encryptions:
- Symmetric Encryption
Symmetric encryption scrambles ‘plaintext’ or readable data into unreadable form for protection from prying parties. This unreadable data can be converted into readable form with the help of key. It is considered as a fast method to encrypt data. Key at both ends i.e. encrypter and decrypter should be same.
- Asymmetric Encryption
Asymmetric encryption works in the similar manner, it scrambles readable data from senders’ end and unscramble it at receivers’ end if provided by the key. Although, in asymmetric encryption a different key is used at each end. Public key is used by encrypter while decryptor require matching private key to convert it again into readable form.
- Hashing
Although hashing use cryptography to encrypt data usually password but it not formally a type of encryption. Hashing creates muddle of the data, this data string has few core properties which are used to decrypt or unhash the password.
6- What encryption protocols are available..?
The available encryption protocols are hard to count but most effective and popular ones in VPN industry are as follow:
- PPTP
It is regarded as light-weight but fastest encryption protocol. It uses 128-bits encryption to secure users’ data. It is perfect access geo-restricted content and stream video sat high definition quality.
- L2TP/IPSec
L2TP is deployed in combination with IPSec to enhance security. It uses 256-bits of encryption and provide more protection compare to PPTP. It is usually utilized for secure connection while making financial transactions or when connected with public Wi-Fi networks. It reduces the speed due to dual step encryption.
- SSTP
SSTP is introduced by Microsoft initially in Windows Vista. It is developed over SSL encryption and works wonders when combined with AES encryption. Not only is it faster than L2TP/IPSec but also more safe.
- OpenVPN
OpenVPN is an open source encryption protocol which uses 256 bits AES encryption. It can be considered as a combination of PPTP and L2TP in terms of functionality. It’s faster and equally secure like L2TP/IPSec.
7- Which one is the best encryption protocol?
It totally depends on users’ requirement; PPTP is ideal for blazing fast streaming of geo-restricted content, L2TP/IPSec is used for better protection from online tracking and surveillance. However, it is highly recommended by VPN Analysis to use OpenVPN as it allow uninterrupted streaming while keeping your online presence completely anonymous. OpenVPN is a combination of both, top notch security with high speed provision. It is open source tool and can easily be downloaded from the internet.